For the ninth year in a row Rapha is encouraging riders to get out on the bike and crush out some base kilometers between Christmas & New Year’s – 500km in fact. This time around, again paired with Strava, there will be digital finisher badges charting your progress along the way. Then at the end you will earn the real meatspace patch, or have Rapha spend the money instead on a donation to World Bicycle Relief on your behalf.
Oh, and there’s also a bunch of limited edition kit up for sale, plus a customized Canyon Ultimate, a Wahoo bolt, and a Rapha Custom kit for you & four friends, among other daily prizes on offer…
Rapha Festive 500, stay fit through the holidays, win gear!
The idea is the same as when it was first just an idea in their office, put in time on the bike (outside, Zwift sessions don’t count!) to stay fit through all of those holiday work parties, heavy family dinners, and the endless supply of pie. Register now via Strava to take part and plan to clock in each 100km to get your digital finishers badge, then the real patch when you hit the 500km threshold. You get eight days from Dec 24-31 to get in the distance.
As was done in years past, Rapha also has prizes on tap, mostly for those who tell the best stories about how they try (or even fail) to fit that much riding in with cold weather and family obligations. Award categories include Best Story, Most Adventurous Ride, Most Epic Fail, and Best Group Entry.
And the prizes on tap include a special edition Canyon Ultimate Disc road bike (like we reviewed this summer) in custom Festive 500 livery, a tracking & navigation bundle around a Wahoo Bolt GPS, a set of Rapha’s new waterproof Explore bikepacking bags, a set of pro loungewear, and a full setup of Rapha Custom kit designed by you for you & four of your riding buddies.
Rapha Festive 500 limited edition, dress for success!
As they did last year, Rapha again has a special limited edition line of products you can buy now to express your intentions to log those base miles (and ignore familial obligations) or buy whatever is left on January 1st to celebrate success. All of it gets this year’s colorful geometric road marking patterns on a black background. What’s available are men’s & women’s $40/35€ t-shirts, a $30/25€ cotton cap, $14/17.50€ Podium bottles, a $35/30€ essentials case, a $30/25€ musette, or a pair of $20/17.50€ Pro Team socks.
Or if you actually want something useful for 500km of winter riding, maybe the special Festive 500 edition $50/40€ winter hat or $15/12€ Ass Saver will help you get through cold & wet days & nights on the bike!
2018 Rapha Festive 500, ride with Rapha
Plenty of other likeminded fools cyclists are sure to join in on the join in on the fun. In fact more than 5000 (and counting) have already signed up with three weeks before the start. Rapha is leading group rides out of the global smattering of clubhouses to get you prepped, and will share rides between the holidays to help clock in the kms.
Here’s to pleasantly cold & clear riding weather for your attempt!
